Question

Calculate the equivalent height of mercury, which will exert as much pressure as 960 m of seawater of density 1040 kgm⁻³. The density of mercury is 13600 kgm⁻³.

Answer 1

Density of mercury = ρ_Hg = 13600 kgm⁻³
Density of seawater = ρ_water = 1040 kgm⁻³
Height of seawater column = h_water = 960 m
Height of mercury column = h_Hg =?
According to the question,
Pressure due to mercury column = Pressure due to seawater column
ρ_Hg × h_Hg × g = ρ_water × h_water
h_Hg = `(ρ_("water")xx"h"_"water")/ρ_"Hg"`

= `(1040xx960)/13600`

= 73.41 m